Tag for an infusing substance containing bag and package resulting therefrom



Aug. 12, 1952 l J. M CABE AND PACKAGE R BAG TAG FOR AN INFU NG SUBSTANCE CONTAINING ESULTING THEREFROM Filed June 12, 1948 INVENTOR. John J fir ('ml/e Patented Aug. 1 2 1 952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TAG FOR AN INFUSING SUBSTANCE CON- TAINING BAG AND PACKAGE RESULTING rHEREFROM John J. McCabe, New York, N. Y.-

Application June 12, 1948, Serial No. 32,710

2 Claims. 1

My present invention relates to a tag for an infusing substance containing bag and to the package resulting from the combination of such tag and bag, and aims to provide certain improvements in such devices.

It is'currently common practice to package an infusing substance such as tea or coffee in small water-permeable containers such as bags or sacks to which is frequently attached a flexible, stringlike element carrying a tag or label which has the dual function of (1) identifying the source of origin of the product, such as by a trade mark; and (2) serving as a convenient handling means for putting the container into and removing the same from a cup, glass or other receptacle in which the infusion beverage is to be prepared. In the use of such package, after an infusion beverage of desired strength has been prepared, the container portion is raised by the tag from the teacup or other receptacle and the user is usually at a loss as to Where to deposit the dripping container and usually places it in the saucer of the teacup where it remains unsightly and,

at times, because of the size and shape of the container, it extends over the edge of the saucer and drippings therefrom fall onto the tablecloth soiling the same. Usually the quantity of infusing substance, such as tea, which is so packaged is more than sufficient to make a cupful of beverage of desired strength and occasionally it may be desired to use the same package for preparing a second cupful of the beverage either immediately after Withdrawing the container from one cup or after the first cupful has been consumed.

Where two different cupsful of the infusion are to be made in succession from a single package the annoyance of drippings and the use of some means such as a spoon or the like for transferring the container from one cup to another must be contended with, while the making f a second subsequent infusion in the same cup is not conducive to obtaining as equally palatable a beverage for the second cupful because of the presence of an excess of adhering water and dripimpervious walls between which the container may be embraced and pressure applied thereto to remove or extract the free liquid therefrom. A still further object is to provide a n'ovel tag which may be supplied as a part of the package or as an independent element adapted to be detachably connected to a conventional infusing package such as a tea bag without a string. The foregoing and other objects of myinventionnot specifically enumerated I accomplish by providing a package having a novel tag in a modified relationship to the infusing -materia1 container or bag or a separate tag having a string and means adapted to be attached to a tea bag or the like whereby,- after' an infusion-of desired strength has been prepared, the tag may be held between the thumb and onefinger of the hand and the string with the fingers of the other hand so as to withdraw the bag from the cup to present said bag between the walls of the tag, upon which pressure may be applied to for detachable connection with the bag and the other end being attached to the tag. The invention also includes other features of novelty and combination of parts which will be apparent from the detailed description which follows when considered in connection with the accompanyingv drawings illustrating a preferred form of my proved package, and wherein: Y

H Figure 1 is an elevation of an infusing package embodying my invention disposed in position within a receptacle containing infusion liquid.

Fig. 2 shows the manner of squeezing and extracting the free liquid from the container portion of the package immediately after withdraw ing the container from the receptacle. 7

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the tag forming part of my infusing package. I

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a development or blank from which the tag is formed.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the tag and string when formed as a separate unit.

Referring to the drawings, the novel package of my present invention may be said to consist of a bag or container H], a tag II and a flexible element, such as a string, I2 connecting the bag to the tag.

The bag or container l0 may be of any .preferred construction and shape and, as herein shown is of substantially triangulariform and made of any suitable water permeable material such as rice paper, filter paper, cloth or the like. After a. predetermined quantity of infusing material such as tea or coffee has been placed in the bag it is sealed in proximity to one of its apices by a binding strip 13 of any suitable material. As shown in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, in the course of sealing the bag I one end of the flexible element i2 is attached to the bag, such, for example, by providing said end with a knot M which is held against withdrawal by the binding strip l3.

The tag I I is preferably formed of waterimpermeable material such as calendered cardboard, plastic material, metal or the like-the exterior surfaces of which may be suitably imprinted as indicated at [5 to describe and disclose the source of origin of the package. The tag I5 will be made of a form and size to readily engage over and embrace a substantial portion of, the bag and provide iinperforate surfaces to whichpressure may be applied to the opposite sides: of the bag to squeeze or express the infusion liquid therefrom after withdrawing the same from a receptacle containing an infusion liquid byapplying finger pressure to the opposite surface of the tag without wetting the fingers.

shape. The tag ll may be conveniently formed from a blank is of substantially arcuate form adapted to be folded orhinged along a median line H, the blank along one end thereof being formed with a cut-out recess I8 and adjacent its opposite end with aperforation 19 of a size and shape so disposed in relation to said end of the blank so that when the blank is folded along its median line I? and again along a fold line 20 passing through the perforation l9 and secured to the opposite end of the blank, the

edges of the perforation is will coincide with the edge of the cut out recess I8 to provide a recess 12! at one end of the tag, for a purpose which will presently appear.

'The flexible element l2, which may be a piece (Sf-string, extends through the tag H from the large end 22 to the small end 23' thereof and then over the recessed end'2l where it is conveniently attached to the tag by a securing means such as a staple 24 or the like which may I,

be employed to simultaneously secure the ends of the tag together and hold the string thereto. To prevent the string from pulling loose from the tag, it may be provided with a holding knot 25.

Where the tag is made as a separate unit as shown in Fig. 6, the end of the string which is unattached to the bag may be connected to a hook 29 or the like for detachable connection with a tea bag or the like, where such bag is not supplied with a string and tag.

In making an infusion of the substance contained within the bag in the package consisting of the bag, string and tag or of a bag to which the hooked string of the tag shown in Fig. 6

has been attached, may be positioned over the rim 26 of a receptacle 2'! such as a glass, cup or the like so that the bag will dip into the in- After an infusion of desired tion to the bag above the receptacle, whereupon pressure may be applied to the outer walls of the tag to express the liquid therefrom without wetting the fingers. The dripless bag may then be disposed of by placing the same in the saucer in which the receptacle rests where it may remain without danger of the drippings falling onto the tablecloth. Of course, if desired, the same bag, after being squeezed free of liquid, may be again used for making a second cupful of beverage, either immediately after the first cupful or later on after the first cupful of beverage has been consumed. Where a tag as shown in Fig. 6 is employed, it may be used over and over again, it being merely necessary to unhook the string from the tea bag, which latter will, of course, be discarded.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be appreciated that I have provided a novel tag and package for utilization and preparing an infusion beverage, and although I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction disclosed, since these may be varied within the range of mechanical skill'without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. An article of manufacture for use with a beverage infusing substance containing bag comprising a tubular member formed of water impervious material of a size to encircle and engage a subtantial portion of such bag to enable pressure to be applied by the fingers of a users hand to the bag to express therefrom, when wet, free liquid without wetting the pressure applying fingers and a flexible suspension string extending and movable through the tubular member, the lower end of the string being attachable to a beverage substance containing bag and the upper end of the string being looped over the upper end of the tubular member and afi ixed to said member.

2. An article of manufacture comprising a beverage infusing substance containing bag, a water impervious, substantially frusto-conical tubular member of a size to encircle and engage a substantial portion of the bag, and a flexible suspension string extending through the bore of the tubular member, the lower end of the string being attached to the bag and the upper end of the string extending out through the smaller end of the frusto-conical member and attached to the exterior thereof below said smaller end, the string being drawable through the tubular member to bring the bag within the larger end of the frusto-conical tubular member.

JOHN J. MCCABE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,285,113 Eaton June 2, 1942 2,308,241 'Hogaboom Jan. 12, 1943 

1. AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE FOR USE WITH A BEVERAGE INFUSING SUBSTANCE CONTAINING BAG COMPRISING A TUBULAR MEMBER FORMED OF WATER IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL OF A SIZE TO ENCIRCLE AND ENGAGE A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF SUCH BAG TO ENABLE PRESSURE TO BE APPLIED BY THE FINGERS OF A USER''S HAND TO THE BAG TO EXPRESS THEREFROM WHEN WET FREE LIQUID WITHOUT WETTING THE PRESSURE APPLYING FINGERS AND A FLEXIBLE SUSPENSION STRING EXTENDING AND MOVABLE THROUGH THE TUBULAR MEMBER, THE LOWER END OF THE STRING BEING ATTACHABLE TO A BEVERAGE SUBSTANCE CONTAINING BAG AND THE UPPER END OF THE STRING BEING LOOPED OVER THE UPPER END OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER AND AFFIXED TO SAID MEMBER. 